Block printing machine



BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Filed Jan. l'7 1930l Patented Oct. 4, 1932 My invention relates to yimprovements in block printing machmes, and relates espeved means for reciprocating cially to impro surfaces of the blocks.

:BLOCK PRINTING MACHINE Application filed January 17, 1930. Serial No. 421,357.

iran STATES PATENT oFFIcE HAROLD H. MIRKIL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA the paint wagons, and a dwell in the depressed position for the printing operation. The wagons are reciprocatedacross the pathof the paint wagons relatively to the printing travel of the blocks, with a dwell between their movements in opposite direction to al- The object is to provide improved means, low for the up and down movements of the Referring to the drawing which illustrates merelyby way of example a suitable embodiment of the invention Fig. 1 isa side elevation.

Fig. 2 is al Fig. 1.'

Similar numeral throughout the several views.

In the example shown in the drawing the provided with wheels 8 running d connected together by the links 10 in the usual way. At each end of the train of cars a longer link 11 is connected from the last car 7 to the lever 12 mounted onto shaft or other suitable bearing 13, associated with the framework of the machine. This lever 12 is preferably bifurcated at its lower end, and between the two parallel arms thereof are suitably mounted the rollers 14 and 15. These rollers cooperate with the peripheries of the m cams 16 and 17 respectively. These Vcams 16 and 17 are mounted on the shafts 18 and 19 journalled in the framework of the machine and are provided with the gear wheels 2() driven by the pinion 21. The pinion 21 is mounted on shaft 22 driven through suitable nously with the cams 23, which rinting heads or blocks 24. blocks 24 are operated in the a dwellv in the elevated posihe' pigment or paint from operating re l ping of said recip secure the require d wagons 7 are 39 on track 9 an gears, synchro operate the p These printing usual way withV tion for receiving t latively to the reciprocating movements of the blocks, for communicating reciprocating movement to the paint wagons, l@ which shall be simple in construction and accurate in operation, and which shall give acceleration and retardation of said reciproeating movements as required, to effectually prevent shocks and jars and to prevent un- 15 controlled movement or lost motion; that is,

so as to secure a gradual starting and stoprocating movements and to d dwell of the wagons for iorizontal section on line 2, 2 ofs refer to similar parts blocks. It is essential that the paintk wagons shall be moved beneath the printing blocks so lthat the rollers may transfer vthe paint to the printing surfaces of the blocks as quickly as possible after the blocks come into position to receive the pigment, and that the blocks shall start to move downwardly as promptly as possible after the rollers have transferred the pigment thereto. For this reason the actuations of the blocks and of the wagons should be precisely and closely coordinated. It is also important that the actuation of proper cooperation with the printing blocks. the wagons shall be such as to cause gradual retardation prior to the period of dwell and gradual acceleration after the period of dwell so that the main reciprocating movements may be relatively quick without undue agitation of the pigment in the wagon or uneven distribution of the pigment upon the printing surface of the block.

It may also be desirable to have the wagon move with constant speed while the roller is in contact with the block. p

It is also important that the reciprocating movements of the wagons shall be precise and definite without lost motion or vibration, as this tends to disturb the proper distribution of the pigment on the block.

To secure these objects l provide the cams 16 and 17 rotating in the same direction onparallel axes on opposite sides of the lever 12 and cooperating with the rollers 14: and 15 suitably mounted on said lever 12. These cams are provided with short extensions as at 26 and 27 which are in the arcs of the aXes of the cams, so that there is a dwell with every half rotation of the cams, and between each dwell the lever is moved either to the right or left to carry the wagons beneath the printing blocks for the transfer of pigment, and between the dwells the cam formations are such as to cause a gradual starting and stopping movement of the lever 12-and hence of the wagons.

As both 5 cams are always in engagement with their cooperating rollers the actuation of the lever is positive and there is no possibility of free Aplay or lost'l motion between vthe lever i and its actuating mechanism, at least except by possible wearing of the bearings, and to obviate possibility of such event, special' bearing bushings are provided, especially Vfor the' rollers 14 and l5, which may be'y i 'changed from time to time as required.

It will be obvious that by the properforfi Y A mation of the contours of .cams 16 and 17, .-1 which always move synchronously with thel block actuating cams 24, the Vdesired coordination of actuationv of blocks and paint wagons may be secured with absolute preci- K' What'I Vclaim is f ,o Y

y In a block printing machine using reciprolcati 0" paint wagons, Vmeans for operating said"wagons, comprising a pair of oppositely disposed cams rotating Von axes on the same horizontal plane, a reciprocating lever having its aXisparallelwith the axes ofthe cams V' a'pair of rollers journalled on opposite sides Y of the lever betwen its axis of movement and but belowthe saidV horizontal plane thereof,

its free end, said rollers Vadapted to cooperate with said'camaand means for establishing operative relationship between the free end of thelever and the wagons. j

Y- HAROLD MIYRKIL.'V

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